


Say Yes

by lologoblens



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:54:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25923166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lologoblens/pseuds/lologoblens
Summary: "We’re not together, Adora just said a bunch of weird crap to me last night about how we’re not just friends.” She crosses her arms and slouches in her seat.“Uh…thatkind ofsounds like you’re together.” Bow points out gently, clearly trying to avoid lighting Catra’s fuse.“We’re not in a relationship!” She pops off anyway.“Yeah, no, just a domestic partnership.” Glimmer snarks.“Will you fuck off? She explicitly said it’s not romantic. She literally fucking said- you know what? It doesn’t matter, it didn’t make any sense anyway.”Catra and Adora navigate the confusing in between of being roommates who may be more than friends but are certainly less than lovers.
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 87
Kudos: 689
Collections: Finished111, Himmelslieds Collection of Catradora Goodness





	1. Chapter 1

‘Hey so remember how I was gonna get groceries omw home?’ Catra rolls her eyes at the text. She’d been expecting it.

‘Chill Princess, I’m already at the store.’

‘U kno me so well, I luv u’ Her heart stutters, cursing Adora again for her free expressions of affection. 

‘U should.’ Is all she writes back, before stuffing her phone into her back pocket. It really wasn’t a big deal. She knew Adora was having a rough day, some asshat in a group project not pulling their weight. There was no way she was going to remember almond milk, even if she had the time. That and Catra wanted ice cream. She grabs the last couple things she figured they were low enough on and gets out of there as fast as possible. 

The store is only a ten-minute ride away and she’s pulling up to the apartment in no time. It’s still dark when Catra bustles in, she figures Adora must still be at the library. She unloads and stands in the middle of the kitchen. It’s already six, she knows she should start dinner but…all she really wants to do is read. She decides throwing the rice cooker on is a good compromise. She’ll read for half an hour and then make something to go with it. 

An hour later Adora crashes in the front door, startling Catra awake. “ _What the-_ “She blinks, sitting up on the couch and registers her roommate. “Oh, you’re home.”

“Hi! Yes, sorry, were you sleeping?” She looks abashed but then furrows her brow. “Wait, did you mean to be sleeping or should I be saying you’re welcome?”

“Whatever.” Catra grumbles, rubbing dried drool from the corner of her chin. Hopefully Adora doesn’t notice. 

“Wow, you must really have been pooped.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Adora smirks and Catra can just tell she’s about to be a little shit about something. “I mean, you only drool when you’re really exhausted.” She scratches the corner of her mouth where Catra had just wiped the drool off of her own face.

Catra chucks a pillow at her, it misses, and she’s pissed. “Shut up or you can’t have any of my milk.” Adora pouts exaggeratedly, making silly puppy eyes, and throws herself on the couch, sprawling all over. “Hey, you big oaf! You’re crushing me.”

“Nah,” Adora responds unbothered. “I think your pretty sturdy.”

Catra rolls her eyes, covering whatever expression might naturally accompany the feeling in her gut. “You’re obnoxious.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“That’s a long list, where should I start?”

“Ugh, how about starting with why you’re so mean to me?”

“Because, _you are crushing me_.” She punctuates her words by shoving on Adora’s leg. The muscles are firm, and she doesn’t budge. Catra hates it. It doesn’t even matter really, she mostly being obstinate for the sake of it. Sure, Adora’s legs are pinning her legs and hips down but it’s not like she was planning to get up. She flops back down to the couch.

“Alright, alright as much as I love the playful banter, I’m starved. Have you eaten?”

“I made rice.” Catra props her head on her hand to see Adora better.

Adora appraises her. “Fell asleep before you could make anything to go with it?” Catra just blinks back at her. “Right, obviously. Let me get changed and I’ll make something. Stir fry work?”

“Are you sure? I know you had a long day.” She has to stifle a yawn to finish her sentence. 

“It’s fine, it’ll help me chill out.” Catra nods and after a minute Adora gets up and wanders off to her room. When she emerges and walks into the kitchen Catra naturally follows her. She boosts herself up on the counter next to where Adora’s set up the cutting board. “So,” Adora starts as she slices into a pepper. “what’d you get up to today?”

“Meh, killing time mostly. I read some, did some self-care shit, officially broke it off with Casey, groceries, more reading and here we are.”

Adora’s knife freezes mid slice. “What?”

“What?” Catra questions, furrowing her brow.

“Okay,” Adora sets the knife down and turns to face Catra directly. “you did _not_ just try to casually slip a break up into this conversation. What happened?”

Catra scoffs, “Are you really surprised?”

“I mean a little, I know you’d not been on the same page for a while but…” She frowns, her face looks like she’s trying to do complex mental math.

“Not on the same page? She wasn’t even reading the same _book_ anymore Adora. We talked about what it was gonna be from the very start and she decided she wanted more commitment. Which is _fine_ , it was just stupid of her to expect it from _me_.”

Adora stares at her for a minute. Catra takes the time to study her face; her bright blue eyes with the fading freckles underneath, the crease between her brows that always sat just to the right of dead center, the wispy hairs that fall over her forehead. Yeah, Catra had been _completely_ honest with her now-ex from the start. Certainly, more honest than she felt comfortable being with any of her and Adora’s mutual friends. Unfortunately, that was basically _all_ of her friends. 

“Good. Casey fucking sucked.” That genuinely surprises Catra. Adora had always been so _nice_ to Casey. She made herself pretty scarce when she was over, telling Catra she didn’t want to third wheel. But when she was around it was always very…friendly. 

“What?”

“Ugh, yeah I fucking hate her.”

“Wait, wait, wait, hold up. How did I not know this? Also, why? She’s not all that bad.”

“Pfft.” Adora resumes her chopping. “Yeah, maybe if you were sleeping with her.” Catra’s taken aback by the bitterness she hears in Adora’s tone. “She could only speak intelligently about like, three things. And, ugh! She was so fucking territorial; I was just waiting for the day she up and peed on your leg.”

“ _What?_ ” Catra chokes out a short laugh. Or at least, it kind of sounds like a laugh. 

“This seriously can’t be news to you.” Adora side eyes her.

“Uh, yeah it seriously can. I mean sure, I wasn’t dating her for her brains, she’s sweet enough though. What do you mean she was territorial?”

“She was just always…vibing me.”

Another choked laugh. “What does that mean?”

Adora grumbles and rolls her eyes. She mutters under hear breath, “Of course you didn’t fucking notice.” Which Catra is pretty sure she’s not meant to hear, because before she can attempt to process whatever the fuck _that_ means Adora goes on at a normal volume. “She just…I don’t know, like any time you invited me to hang with you guys and I said yes she’d give me this accusatory look. Like, how could I not know I was supposed to pass? She made a couple back handed comments too but like, you were usually there so I was spared that bullshit most of the time.”

“Okay I feel so out of the loop. She always said she liked hanging out with you.” Adora pulls out a pan and Catra’s sure she’s being more forceful and making more noise than is strictly necessary. Catra eats a raw broccoli off the cutting board as Adora grabs it, and she receives a scowl. She’s not sure if it’s for her theft or her obliviousness. 

“Duh, of course she’s not gonna tell you that she doesn’t want your best friend tagging along. And I mean she was a passive aggressive bitch about it, and I could barely fucking stand her, but I kind of get it.”

“What do you mean?” Adora looks at her doubtfully. 

“Come on Catra, we’re so close.”

“Okay, and?”

“And we’re both gay…” She turns away from the stove to look at Catra, waiting for her to get it.

“Thank the heavens, so what?”

Adora huffs, annoyed that she has to explain this. “So, how many times have our best friends said that we make them feel like they’re third wheeling or whatever? It can be an intimidating dynamic for someone to walk into. Like, especially someone romantically connected to one of us.”

Catra furrows her brow. “I guess I never thought about it like that.”

Adora narrows her eyes at this. “How has this not come up for you before? Also, what about Bree? That really didn’t tip you off?”

Catra’s eyebrows disappear behind her bangs. “Excuse me?” Bree had been Adora’s one and only girlfriend. She’d dated around a little prior to that, but Bree had showed up one day and was suddenly a near permanent fixture in their lives for nine months. Then one day it had been over, seemingly out of nowhere. As far as Catra knew Adora hadn’t really talked to anyone about what happened, she was so stoic after it all went down. All Adora would say is that Bree couldn’t accept a fundamental part of her and so it never would have worked. Catra had mixed feelings, on one hand the appearance of Bree in their lives had led Catra to an existential crisis which had then led her to unpacking some deeply buried feelings. On the other hand, she had actually really liked Bree. “What _about_ Bree?”

“Well I mean she _hated_ you.” _Ouch._ Adora turns back around to tend to the pan. “Not like you as a person, which honestly I suspect just made it all worse in her mind. But like, hated our friendship. Maybe It’s more that she resented you. She insisted our relationship was way too romantic and refused to believe that it was totally platonic. Which again, in hindsight, I understand her perspective a little better. I mean, I still think I deserved a little more trust than she had in me but.” She shrugs. 

Catra’s mind is spinning. _She_ was the reason they had broken up? That was over a year ago, why is Adora telling her this _now_? “I’m sorry, I’m…what are you trying to say here?” Adora turns burner to low and comes to stand in front of her. One of Catra’s favorite things about the apartment they moved into earlier this year is the counter height. When she sits up here, she’s just about a half inch taller than Adora.

“Catra…I’m sorry I really didn’t think this was gonna be news to you. Just think about it, does our relationship really feel strictly platonic to you?”

Catra goes beet red, she feels like she’s lost at sea; directionless, no wind left in her sails and, frankly, dehydrated. She slides off the counter and with Adora so close their bodies rub against each other. She slips away like it doesn’t fluster her further and gets a glass of water. After chugging the whole thing, she looks at Adora, who is standing in the same place just watching her. Her expression looks something like concern. “What the fuck are you trying to say Adora?”

“I’m not saying it’s strictly romantic either Catra. I know we’re not dating or anything. But we’ve known each other so long and we’re so close; there’s a level of emotional intimacy between us some couples never reach. We love each other a lot, our teasing is borderline flirty at best, you’re the most important person in the world to me…. I don’t know, are we really _just_ friends?”

Catra feels exposed, the temptation to lash out dangles in front of her. She could say something shitty, something that she’d know would cut, so that when she runs to hide Adora is guaranteed to not come looking for her. There are two fundamental flaws in that plan though. The first; she’s tried way too hard to be a better friend to fuck it all up now. The second; Adora _always_ comes looking. “I-I…I mean _I_ thought so? I…kind of see what you’re saying, I guess. But…if we’re not friends, and we’re not dating, then…what exactly are we?”

Adora smiles sadly and starts walking slowly toward Catra, like she’s afraid to spook her. She probably should be to be fair. When she’s right in front of her she looks at Catra’s face, every inch of it. She reaches up to tuck some hair behind her ear, then cups her face gently. When she speaks its soft and quiet, gentle. “I’m not sure the word exists. I just know it’s special, and worth protecting.”

Catra feels her heart in her throat and her stomach in her knees. She gulps. “Protecting from what?”

Adora smirks and tightens her hand minutely. “From any sorry bitches who are too threatened to see what a bargain we are. Two BAMFs for the price of one? Please, their loss.” And then she’s just walking away, plating their food, eating dinner, and carrying on about her night like she didn’t just blow Catra’s mind to smithereens with that bombshell. 

The next morning after Adora leaves for class Catra meets Scorpia, Bow and Glimmer for brunch. After they’ve put in their orders Glimmer gets a look on her face that Catra _knows_ she doesn’t like. 

“So, I got an interesting text from Adora last night.”

“Oh, how is Adora? Wait, what did she say? Interesting good?” Scorpia rambles.

“Hm…maybe not good, but productive hopefully.”

“I…do not know what that means, but I hope it’s positive.”

Glimmer smirks, she’s been watching Catra this whole time and as a result Catra is fighting the urge to squirm. “Just sounds like the world’s most oblivious Lesbians have finally started have some long overdue conversations.”

Scorpia squeals. “Oh, you and Adora finally got together? Wildcat I’m so happy for you! Why didn’t you text me? You know what, it’s fine, just tell me everything now.”

“No, what? Shut the fuck up. We’re not together, Adora just said a bunch of weird crap to me last night about how we’re not just friends.” She crosses her arms and slouches in her seat.

“Uh…that _kind of_ sounds like you’re together.” Bow points out gently, clearly trying to avoid lighting Catra’s fuse.

“We’re not in a relationship!” She pops off anyway.

“Yeah, no, just a domestic partnership.” Glimmer snarks.

“Will you fuck off? She explicitly said it’s not romantic. She literally fucking said- you know what? It doesn’t matter, it didn’t make any sense anyway.” 

“Oh no, I gotta hear this.” Glimmer demands, leaning across the table in her eagerness.

“Can you like, mind your business Sparkles?”

“Sure, probably. But I won’t, so just out with it already.”

Catra rolls her eyes then looks to her other friends. If the curiosity in their expressions is anything to go by, she’s not gonna find any back up at this table. “Whatever, she just said like, ‘there isn’t a word for it.’ Which is stupid, cause I thought the word for it was best friends but apparently I’m the idiot.”

The table is quiet for a minute. When Scorpia speaks her voice is uncharacteristically somber. “Is that even what you want though?”

“What the _fuck_ is that supposed to mean?”

A deep sigh and then, “It means…you, and historically Adora also, are so quick to defend the fact that you’re just friends. Sometimes I wonder if you actually stop to think about the answer, about what you really want. Maybe…maybe it’s good that Adora’s finally thinking about it.”

Catra stares at her she feels…she feels a lot of things actually. She’s shocked, exposed, a little betrayed, certainly defensive, but mostly what she feels is trapped. “I have to go to the bathroom.” 

She gets up without another word. Once in the bathroom she closes the lid of the toilet and sits with her head in her hands. What the hell is going on? Has she felt confused about her relationship with Adora? Sure. Is she in love with her best friend? Unfortunately. But that’s the thing, Adora’s her _best friend_. If she doesn’t have that compartment to fit her into, what does that mean? She’s already sat with these feelings, figured out what they are, and corrected the poor behavior repressing those feelings brought out of her. Can she really do it again?

Fortunately, when she goes back to the table her friends have moved on to a new topic. They don’t bring Adora up again. Of course, that doesn’t stop Glimmer from shooting her significant looks across the table the rest of the meal.

She’s still thinking about the conversation when she wakes up the next morning. She wonders passively if she’s been processing it in her dreams it’s so fresh on her mind. After having a cathartic grumble into her pillow, she gets up. She can hear Adora puttering around and isn’t really sure she wants to see her stupid face right now, but she’s hungry. When she walks into the living room Adora is moving the coffee table to the side.

“What in the Goddess’s good name are you _doing_ right now?”

“Oh! Hi, good morning!” Catra just looks pointedly at the coffee table. “Right, it’s raining so I decided to skip my run this morning. Figured I’d do a yoga or something instead.”

“Gotcha.” 

She wanders into the kitchen and Adora calls after her. “I made a bunch of oatmeal, it’s on the stove still if you want any.” Catra says nothing back but does immediately begin to scoop oatmeal into a bowl. Glimmers words, ‘a domestic partnership’, float through her mind. She shoves the thought down so she can eat her food. 

She plops her ass on the couch, satisfied to watch Adora exercise while she’s being lazy. Though watching Adora do the cobra pose is not really what she needs right now. She considers Adora for a minute then, stabbing at her breakfast, asks, “So what the hell did you text Glimmer the other night?”

Adora stills for a moment before rushing to catch up with the video on her laptop. “Uh, I text Glimmer lots of things.”

“Hey,” Catra gives Adora’s butt a light kick, more of a nudge really. “knock that shit off. I got the nth degree because of whatever you said.”

“Ugh, sorry Catra.” She shifts into downward dog and looks at Catra from between her legs. “I told her not to say anything. I should have known Glim better than that I guess.”

Catra scoffs. “Seriously, you thought Sparkles was gonna keep her mouth shut about anything? Remember when we told her about Bow’s surprise party an hour before hand? Sixty minutes and she still managed to blow it.”

“You’re right, but anyway I didn’t say anything really.”

“Okay, well clearly you said _something_.”

Adora hesitates and then, “I just…told her a little bit about our conversation. Like, I told her you and Casey broke up. And that we…talked.”

“Okay, please tell me you didn’t leave it that ambiguous. No wonder she was chomping at the bit the second I walked in the door.”

“Well, no but I didn’t give her a play by play either.”

“ _Adora_ , do not make me drag this out of you.”

Adora huffs but drops out of her current posture to sit cross legged on her mat facing Catra. “I’m not _making_ you do anything.” Catra just glares back. “Fine, I said that we finally addressed the elephant in the room a little bit. And I told her…”

“Yes?”

“I told her what you said, about never having thought about us being more than friends or whatever.” She sort of mumbles the last part and bites her lip when she finishes. Her eye dart back and forth between Catra’s and anything else in the room. 

“Well that’s not what I said.”

“Excuse me?” Her eyes finally settle on Catra.

“I never said I hadn’t thought about that.”

“Um, yes you did.”

“No, I’m pretty sure what I said was that I never thought about how our dynamic might affect our romantic relationships. Like, with other people.”

“Oh.” Adora’s face shifts to a light pout. She’s quiet for a minute then, considering Catra with new eyes, she asks, “So you have thought about it?”

Catra squirms. She supposes she did sort of invite this line of questioning. Doesn’t mean she has to like it. “I mean…duh Adora. We went through puberty together, we basically came out together, and I _know_ that you know you’re hot shit.” She shrugs nonchalantly, as if her heart isn’t beating fast enough and hard enough to launch a rocket. “Of course, I’ve thought about it.”

“Oh.” Adora says, turning to stare at her knees. She looks like she doesn’t know how to process what Catra’s telling her, like it doesn’t fit whatever narrative she’s constructed. Then she looks up again. “I didn’t know that.” 

“I don’t know what to tell you dude.”

“I have too, like just for the record.” Catra’s heart stops so suddenly she feels like it gives her whiplash. “But I guess we came to the same conclusion, right?”

“Uh huh, what conclusion is that Princess?”

Adora laughs but it’s disingenuous, forced. “Just that it would obviously never work. Better to skip it than crash and burn.”

“I- what the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Catra doesn’t even care about the hurt that leaks into her voice. After all, Adora’s words _hurt_.

Adora’s eyes widen with panic. “I mean, not because of-of like, either of us individually! It’s just- I mean, we want totally different things from a partnership. I-I wouldn’t get into a relationship with _anyone_ who was looking for something strictly casual.” She shrugs. “It’s just not my vibe, you know me; I wanna be wife’d up at some point.”

Catra’s mouth grows dry at the thought of anyone who isn’t _her_ wifing Adora up at _any_ point. Her words are measured, her instinctual reaction barely contained. “And what the fuck do you know about what I want Adora?”

Adora’s brow furrows, clearly confused. “Catra…”

“Whatever, I need to get ready for work.” She slams her bowl down on the coffee table, her breakfast less than half gone. Then she retreats to her room and blasts her music. It’s a clear indication that Adora leave her the hell alone until she can calm down. She doesn’t feel good about snapping at her. Her words just…goddess, they fucking _hurt_. So, what? Adora had thought about her that way too and just wrote her off? What because she didn’t want to settle down with someone who wasn’t what she wanted? Who wasn’t…wasn’t.... She huffs, tearing through her clothes to find something for work. 

Naturally she’d known that at some point she would have to resign herself to her fate; falling in love with someone who wasn’t Adora. She’d have to stop comparing their connection to everything else she felt or die alone watching Adora growing old with someone else. She also knew that in order for that to feel genuinely possible she would probably have to stop _living_ with Adora. She’d still signed another lease. 

The thought makes her deflate slightly. Maybe Adora had chosen to make assumptions instead of talking to her. But Catra had chosen to live in this state of half-truth indefinitely; admitting she had feelings for Adora but doing nothing to actually _deal with_ the inevitable fallout of those feelings. It doesn’t matter if Adora has those feelings too, or had at some point at least, not really. She’d made her choice, if she didn’t want to talk to Catra about this, didn’t want to make a move then that’s the reality they have to live in. And it’s not like she had said anything either. 

It’s just…if all that had stopped Adora from saying anything was Catra’s dating history…. Catra sighs and starts getting dressed. She doesn’t know what to make of any of this anymore. When she leaves for work Adora has made herself scarce, the living room is empty, and her door is shut. Catra is glad. 

Catra is avoiding Adora, which means Catra is avoiding her house. She keeps finding reasons to stay out late and leave early. So, when she sees on social media that her old friend from high school is in town, she doesn’t hesitate to set up dinner. She doesn’t invite Adora. 

“Holy shit, Lonnie!”

“Catra!” They embrace, Lonnie’s hug is just as firm and tight as they were when they were teenagers. “Girl, I haven’t seen you in forever. How you been?”

“Good, what about you? Hot shot lawyer in the big city.” She teases, poking at Lonnie as she holds the door to the restaurant open for her. They follow a hostess to their table, and she prompts her again. “Seriously Lonnie, how are you?”

“Honestly, real good. Winter was rough, Jaime and I broke it off and my Ma got pretty sick for a while there. But it all worked out, and work is always steady so.” She shrugs.

“Shit, I mean, I heard about Jaime and obviously that’s her loss. I didn’t know about your mom though, she’s good now?”

“Yeah, she got pneumonia real bad, ended up in the hospital. She’s perfectly fine now though, healthy as ever. Speaking of hearing about things,” She waggles her eyebrows. “I hear you and Adora been living together for a while now.”

Catra rolls her eyes. “Whatever you’re trying to insinuate, cut it out. We’re just roommates.”

Lonnie raises an eyebrow. “How long now?”

“End of her freshman year, once she didn’t have to dorm anymore.” Catra picks up her glass of water and see’s the waitress approach from the corner of her eye.

“Damn dude, and you still haven’t jumped her? The hell is wrong with you?”

Catra chokes on her water, coughing and spluttering. The waitress finally arrives at their table and waits patiently for Catra to settle before taking her order. Catra takes another drink after she’s walked away and composes herself. “Shit Lonnie, what the fuck is wrong with _you_?”

“You can’t seriously tell me you two are still repressing that shit?”

“Wow, okay, remind me why wanted to catch up with you?”

“Guess you’re just a glutton for punishment.”

“Whatever. It’s more complicated than that okay? Just…be cool for once in your life.”

“Please Ramirez, I’m the coolest bitch you’re ever gonna meet.”

Catra laughs, “That may be true, but still doesn’t set the bar very high.”

“You’re a dick. What’s going on with Adora?”

“Seriously, why is everyone so invested in this?”

“Please girl, everyone loves a will they/won’t they and you two have a _lifetime_ of unresolved sexual tension. Being around you idiots as teenagers was borderline painful.”

“Okay, rude.” She points accusatorily at Lonnie. “Whatever, yes it’s like a thing and I don’t know. It’s fresh right now, Adora said some shit in the last couple weeks…”

“What? Like, I love you and wanna have your babies?”

“Would you knock it off?” Catra protests, under her breath she grumbles, “Like that’s even scientifically possible.”

“Whatever, what did she say?”

“I mean a lot of crap, but basically she said she doesn’t consider us friends or romantically involved. Then a few days later she said she’s thought about me romantically but never pursued anything because I’m too much of a slut or something.”

“ _Excuse me?_ ” Catra smiles at the waitress in thanks as she sets down their drinks, she knows it doesn’t reach her eyes. When she walks away, she looks back to Lonnie whose face is saturated with disbelief. “I can’t even imagine Adora Grey saying _the word_ slut, never mind all that shit.”

Catra twirls her straw around her drink. “I mean _obviously_ she didn’t say it like that. She was just like, ‘I wouldn’t date anyone who wants something casual’.”

Lonnie looks at her doubtfully, she takes a large drink to avoid catching Lonnie’s eye. “You’re really tryna tell me you want something _casual_ with Adora?”

Catra rolls her eyes and scoffs. “Please, Adora doesn’t know the meaning of the word casual. Apparently, she just _assumed_ that’s all I’ll ever want since it’s what I’ve pursued in the past.” She purses her lips to cover how much that still stings.

“Uh huh, so did you set her straight?” Catra smirks at her and it’s Lonnie’s turn to roll her eyes and scoff. “You _know_ what I mean, don’t be challenging on purpose.”

“Whatever, no. If she wanted to hear it, she would have asked. I don’t need my best friend slut shaming me as an excuse not to date me.”

“Come on Catra, you really think that’s what this is about?” Catra shrugs, sullen. “Alright, well even _I_ know Adora better than that. You know she’s always trying to be sensible; she’s had a stick up her ass since birth, or at least since Weaver took her in and fucked y’all up. She works with the facts and takes everything at face value. If you want her to reconsider, you’re gonna have to present her with new facts.”

Catra narrows her eyes at her friend. “When did you get so insightful?”

Lonnie smirks and shrugs. “Sometime between birth and law school, I guess. Seriously, can I just give you one last word of advice? I swear I’ll drop it after.”

Eager to move on to lighter topics Catra agrees. “Whatever.”

“You should just talk to her. Y’all’s pride was _always_ what got in your way. Every damn fight you two ever had was because of miscommunication. And it was always stemming from one or both of you trying to save face by repressing shit and refusing to talk.” Catra just blinks at her, how many times is she gonna be laid bare by her friends this month? “Anyway, that’s all I wanted to say. And I haven’t even _told_ you what Kyle and Rogelio are up to. Those dum-dums are both tryna propose on their anniversary. They have basically the same plan” She shakes her head, getting the same ruthless, eager look in her eye she did when gossip came up in high school. Catra allows herself to be swept up in it, glad for the distraction.

She gets home at nine-thirty, it’s the earliest she’s been home in two weeks. Adora looks up from her text book, surprised at the interruption. When she registers Catra’s arrival she scowls. Catra’s chest tightens with guilt at the look. “Oh, you’re home. Date end early?”

Catra furrows her brow and laughs sharply. “Date? What the fuck are you talking about?”

Adora looks back at her book, scowling. Catra can tell she’s not actually reading it. “I just assumed that’s where you’ve been the last couple weeks. You’re never home, gone all hours of the night, what was I supposed to think?”

Catra tries and fails to not be offended at Adora bringing her love life up again in this way. She smirks to cover it. “What? Were you jealous Princess?” She watches Adora’s reaction. She gulps, clenches her jaw and tightens her grip on her pencil. Catra wonders how much more it can take before it snaps. She wonders the same about herself.

“So, if you weren’t on a date where have you been?” Adora grits out. 

Catra narrows her eyes at her. When she doesn’t look up Catra takes off her jacket and throws herself onto the chair perpendicular the couch Adora is leaning against. “Lonnie’s in town, we caught up over dinner.”

“Oh.” Catra registers the hurt on Adora’s face at not being invited. She doesn’t feel so guilty about that. As much as she hated it at the time, Lonnie’s perspective on their current situation was helpful. She’s known them a long time. “How is she? How’s her mom, I heard she got sick over winter.”

Of course, she had. “Yeah, she’s doing fine. Never better Lonnie said. And Lonnie’s good, working a lot from the sounds of it.”

“Makes sense, that was always her M.O. after a breakup.” 

“Yeah, I guess. Remember that trebuchet you turned in after she and Aly broke it off senior year?”

Adora looks up with a laugh, it’s genuine. “Oh my gosh, that thing was crazy! I felt so awful she was hurting so bad, but that thing also _saved_ my physics grade.”

“The only class the Princess ever struggled with.”

Adora looks at her carefully, and Catra’s not really sure what she’s seeing. “The only B on my transcript.”

“Would’ve been a C without Lonnie’s disaster love life.”

“Shut up.” Adora shoves her legs with a laugh. Catra’s not sure who pauses first, but the action is enough to remind them both of the tension sucking the air out of the room. “So, was that just tonight, or…?”

“What are you talking about?”

Adora scoffs and picks up her pencil, resuming her charade of working on homework. “I’m talking about how I haven’t seen you in two weeks.”

“That’s not true.” Adora’s jaw just clenches tighter. It is true and Catra knows it. Adora isn’t talking about passing each other when Catra slips into the shower as soon as she hears Adora getting out. “Whatever, I’ve just been busy. I’ve been helping Entrapta out with something.”

Adora looks up and narrows her eyes at her again. When Catra doesn’t break the stare, she makes another irritated noise and looks back at her book. She knows Catra would only help Entrapta with her research and experiments over her dead body. Apparently, whatever is happening between them is killing her. The thought sobers her, it feels true. Metaphorically at least. 

Catra gulps. “What are you working on?”

Adora side eyes her and tightens her grip on her pencil. Catra swears she can hear it start to fracture. “History essay.”

“ _Alright_ , are you gonna tell me what you’re so worked up about or are you gonna turn that pencil into shrapnel?” She isn’t prepared for Adora to look up with tears in her eyes. 

“Where have you _been_ Catra?” Her voice is strained and desperate.

“I-I- “She’s at a loss, watching Adora’s bottom lip tremble. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

Adora deflates, she rubs her eyes and when she pulls her hands away, they’re red but the threat of tears is gone. “I just…don’t understand why you’ve been avoiding me.”

“Adora, I’m not- “

“Don’t fucking lie to me Catra. I can tell that you are. What exactly did I do to deserve this passive aggressive shit?”

“Goddess Adora, it’s not ‘passive aggressive shit’, I just needed some space.”

“And you couldn’t have _said_ something?”

“I’m sorry, at what point did it become mandatory that I check in with you about my whereabouts.”

“Don’t be mean Catra, you know that’s not what this is about.”

“I don’t know what anything is _about_ with you anymore Adora.” And now Catra has officially raised her voice. She takes a deep breath, counting on the inhale and exhale, steeling herself.

“I don’t know what you’re trying to say.” Adora’s voice is carefully controlled calm.

“I’m sorry for yelling.”

“ _Catra_.”

“What? I genuinely am, I’m…” Another deep breath, four counts in and six counts out. “I feel frustrated, but I shouldn’t have raised my voice at you.”

Adora sighs and the littlest bit of tension leaves her shoulders which are nearly bunched up to her ears. “I appreciate that Catra. I’d also like it if you would stop deflecting.”

“I’m not trying to deflect Adora, I just…ever since we talked a few weeks ago every conversation with you makes me feel like I’ve been dropped in a maze, like I’m without a map and the pathways keep changing.”

Adora rubs at her eyes again and shoves her book away. She turns to face Catra, her right side leaning against the couch instead of her back now. “I don’t mean to make you feel that way.”

“I know but that doesn’t change it.”

Adora bites her lip and nods, staring off at nothing. Cutting her eyes back to Catra she asks, “What happened?”

“What happened when?”

Adora crosses her arms, resting them on her knees, and shrugs. “I’m not sure. I just…seems like I stepped in it with you at some point. I’m just…not really sure what it was that I said that set all of _this,_ ” She gestures at the air between them vaguely. “in motion.”

Adora counts out three breaths, willing her heart to slow and star in her chest where it belongs. “It was a couple different things honestly.”

“What things?”

“I…Adora, do you think I’m incapable of a committed, long term relationship?” Catra blinks away tears, her swimming vision almost making her miss the way Adora straightens up in surprise at the question.

“ _What?_ Catra, no of course I don’t think that. Why would I think that?”

Catra scoffs, “Adora, you literally told me you would never so much as consider a relationship with me because I fuck around too much.”

Adora looks aghast. “Okay, well first of all, I _never_ said that. What I _did_ say was that you’ve only ever expressed interest in something casual.”

“Right, and that’s not what you want.”

“Right…I’m sorry I don’t understand how that turns into me accusing you of fucking around too much.”

_In…two, three, four. Out…two, three, four, five, six._ “I’m just saying, why would you assume that’s _all_ I was ever gonna want?”

Adora looks baffled at the question. “Why would I assume you want something different than what you’ve always said you want?”

Catra groans at her density. “Why would you assume at all? You really didn’t so much as wonder if it would be different if- “She bites her lip, eyeing Adora who still looks totally lost.

“If what?”

“Fuck, what do you think? If it was _you_ , do you really think the way I think about you could _ever_ be considered _casual_?” Adora looks like Catra just slapped her. She gapes, her mouth opening and closing soundlessly. “ _Well?_ ”

“Well _no_ , not exactly.”

“So, what exactly _did_ you think?” 

“I-I thought, shit Catra I thought a lot of things.”

“Okay…care to elaborate on any of those thoughts?”

Adora forces her next exhale through tight lips then rests her heard on her arms. Just when Catra starts to wonder if she’s planning on staying in the fetal position all night, she looks up again. “It’s…evolved. When we were thirteen, I thought you were just my _best_ best friend. When you came out at fifteen, I thought you were just my first crush and it made sense because you’re my best friend and so stunning and clever. But I thought I’d get over it, and I-I was scared to ruin it. When we graduated and I had to live in the dorms, that year we were fighting a lot…I thought I’d do anything to not jeopardize our connection. Including asking for more. And then…more recently. I guess I-I thought, I’m in love with you and I always have been. But it would foolish- “She takes in a deep, stuttering breath and tears spill over at last. Catra watches wide-eyed and open mouthed. She was _not_ expecting a…a whole damn _confession_. Adora steels herself to finish with a breath, sniffling just a bit at the end. “I know it would be foolish of me to try and…and make it work if it’s doomed to fail.”

Catra doesn’t realize she’s started crying also until she blinks, trying to gather herself up enough to speak. “Why does it have to be doomed to fail?” She hates the way her voice breaks.

“What do you _want_ Catra? What are you trying to get at here? I don’t understand.”

“I-I…” Now she’s just bawling. What _does_ she want? She wants to never see Adora bring another girl home again, she wants it to mean something more when she goes home to Adora every night, she wants to know what it’s like to kiss her when she walks in the door and before she leaves for work each morning. Adora walks over to her on her knees. Her head comes just under Catra’s chin when she wraps her arms around her body, squeezing her tight. Catra squeezes back, resting her cheek on the top of Adora’s head and closes her eyes.

They sit like that for a while. At some point Adora starts stroking her back gently with the fingers of her right hand. Their tears slow and Catra takes a few grounding breaths. “How come…how come you never asked me that before?”

Adora sniffles a few times before answering. “I…I thought I knew. And having you confirm that…that I couldn’t be what you needed,” She shakes her head against Catra’s chest. “I couldn’t Catra.” She’s quiet for a minute more and then points out, “You haven’t answered though.”

Adora starts to pull away, but Catra clings to her pathetically for a minute before letting her go. She sits back on her heels; her face is flushed and there are tear tracks dried on her face which she wipes at roughly. Catra runs the back of her hand over her own messy face. Then they’re just looking at each other. _In, two, three, four. Out,_ “I’m in love with you.” Another couple more tears escape Adora’s eyes and her jaw tightens minutely. She reaches for Catra’s hands and holds them tightly, resting in Catra’s lap.

“Okay.”

Catra laughs, it’s watery but genuine. “Okay, what?”

“Okay, so what do you _want_ Catra?”

“What do _you_ want Adora?”

Adora doesn’t waver in the slightest when she answers. “I want you in every way I can have you. I want everything I’ve always said I wanted; I want to build a home with someone, a family, and I want to grow old together. And I want those things with you, but only if you want them too. You already _are_ my family Catra, I-if I could have anything I wanted? I want you to commit to me. But at the very least I just…I never want you to not be my person.”

Catra swallows thickly a few times to stop herself from crying again. Her head is swimming. This is everything she’s ever wanted, so much that she’d never thought she’d get, or even _deserved_ for that matter. “I-I really want to have this conversation, and I don’t want to run away. Can I just- I need like ten minutes to process this in my room, is that okay?”

Adora bites her lip, frowning, but nods. “Of course, it is, thanks for telling me what you need. I’ll…make us some tea if you want?” Catra nods, she couldn’t give a shit less about tea but knows Adora will feel better if she has a task.

This is something they’d worked hard on. Catra on not flipping out when she doesn’t get what she needs, when she won’t even ask for it. It was an ongoing process; unlearning that she’ll be punished for asking that her needs to be met. For Adora the lesson was that Catra’s emotions weren’t her responsibility. And that she needed to let her friends feel their hard emotions, to give them space to process those feelings without her trying to rush in to fix the issue. She’s gotten much better at fueling that energy, but Catra knows it only does so much to alleviate her anxiety. 

They get up, both stiff from holding their positions so long. Adora bustles into the kitchen and Catra shuffles off to her room. She only turns on one dim lamp before flopping face first on her bed. She honestly can’t say if what comes out of her is more screaming or crying. Whatever it is, it’s raw, primal energy. It leaves her feeling spent, but much less tense. She flips onto her back but makes no move to make herself actually comfortable, with the exception of kicking her shoes off blindly. Her thoughts still don’t sort themselves out, so she digs out her phone. She scrolls down to Scorpia’s contact and her fingers hovers over the screen. 

She throws her phone to the side. She knows what Scorpia will say. This is what she’s always wanted. Why should she be anything but thrilled? Still, she’s not coming up with an answer on her own. She picks the phone up again and hits call before she can think better of it. The line rings twice before Scorpia picks up. 

“Wildcat! Hey, you know I was _just_ talking about you. Were your ears burning?”

Catra’s voice gets stuck in her throat, she has to clear it roughly a few times before she can say anything. “Hey Scorp, can you talk for a sec?”

“Hey, yeah. What’s up? You sound upset.”

“I…Adora told me she loves me. I…I told her too.”

Scorpia waits for a minute to see if more will come, but Catra doesn’t know what else to say. “Okay…theoretically that sounds like great news. But I don’t think you’d be calling me upset if that were the case. What happened?”

“I’m not really sure. It just…we were kind of fighting and I felt like I totally lost control of the conversation. The next thing I know she’s telling me she loves me and has since we were thirteen and that she wants to like, settle down with me if I want it too.” Catra breaths deeply, struggling to center herself.

“Okay, is that something you want?”

“I- fuck Scorp it’s literally all I _ever_ wanted.”

“Catra, I know you’re calling me for a reason, can you explain to me what you’re feeling right now?”

“I _don’t know_. I mean, I should be over the moon, right? I get everything I ever wanted, and I still feel like the walls are caving in on me, like I’m being buried under the rubble of my emotional fortitude. What the fuck is that?”

“Well…” Scorpia considers this for a moment. “Everything you’re feeling…does it feel _bad_ or do you just feel overwhelmed?”

“I…overwhelmed mostly.”

“That makes total sense then Wildcat! You two have been repressing your feelings for so long. _Both of you_ have kept so much to yourselves for so many years…of course it’s gonna be a lot when the floodgates open.”

“Yeah…” This actually makes a lot of sense and Catra can feel her heartbeat slow to a normal pace. “yeah, that’s true.”

“So…where did you leave it?”

“Um, I asked for a time out. I was sort of…panicking.”

“Proud of you for stepping back when you needed to buddy.” Catra flinches, she appreciates her friends’ unwavering support in her journey for growth. The validation for what she’s always considered showing weakness is still hard to swallow though. 

“Uh, yeah. Whatever. Um, I should probably get back. Adora was gonna make tea so…if I don’t go back soon, I’ll probably walk out to her deep cleaning the whole kitchen.”

Scorpia laughs kindly. “Sounds good buddy, I’m here if you need anything.”

“Yeah, thanks Scorp. Uh, bye”

“Bye! Good luck Wildcat.”

They disconnect and Catra takes a few more grounding breaths before emerging. She walks out to find Adora on the couch, typing furiously into her phone. On the coffee table beside their two cups of tea is a plate with cookie and apple slices. “Hey.” Adora’s head snaps up, she locks and drops her phone immediately. 

“Hi! Um, feeling calmer?”

Catra flinches, reminding herself it’s a genuine question and not a dig. She feels extra tender right now. “Uh, yeah. Thanks. For um, being patient or whatever. I know it stresses you out.”

Adora shakes her head. “It’s fine, I kept busy.”

“Yeah, thanks for- “

“Will you sit down please?” The words are rushed, like they escaped Adora without permission. Catra nods slowly and takes a seat. No one says anything. 

“This is weird.”

Adora’s responding sigh sounds something like relief. “ _So_ weird. I uh…I don’t really know where to start. How are you feeling?”

“Pretty overwhelmed. I- “She looks at Adora and takes one of her hands in hers; the palm of one hand pressing into Adora’s and the other playing with her fingers. “Adora, I want you to understand; All I ever wanted was for us to have this conversation. All those things you said you want? Adora the reason I only ever dated casually was because it killed me to think about pursuing that with anyone who wasn’t you. I could…I couldn’t ever imagine anyone being more important to me than _you_.”

“Oh.”

Catra’s laugh is devoid of any genuine humor. “Yeah.”

“Can I ask…I’m just curious; when did _you_ reconcile your feelings?”

Catra hums and looks at Adora’s face, studying every familiar inch of it. “I mean, you were my gay awakening.” Adora laughs, it’s genuine. “I never really tried to deny it, I just…compartmentalized. When you started seeing Bree though, when I had to watch you getting serious with someone else, that was when the gravity of it set in. It…it never really _hurt_ until then, you know? I think…I think because even if nothing romantic was happening between us, I was still you’re most important person. When that got threatened…I fucking hated it.”

“You were _always_ my most important person. And you always will be, even if nothing happens here.”

“Hmm, you want it to though, right?”

Adora rolls her eyes. “I think I’ve been very explicit about that Catra.”

“Me too.”

Adora’s expression turns bright, hopeful. “Yeah?”

“Yeah, definitely.”

“Cool, cool…should we shake on it or…?”

Catra smirks and rolls her eyes. “I mean we can…” Adora watches her, waiting for the rest. “I’d also let you kiss me.” She shrugs. “Just saying.”

“Yeah?”

“Get over here dummy.” Catra laughs. Adora slides across the couch and has Catra’s face between her hands in a moment. One hand cradles the back of her neck, the other her cheek. Catra mirrors the hand on the back of the neck. Her other hand slides to grip Adora’s shoulder from behind. 

“Does it feel weird for you?” Adora whispers. Catra can feel her breath across her face and it sends a shiver up her spine.

“I get the feeling kissing you is gonna feel like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I’m not sure weird is the word I’d use though.”

Adora rolls her eyes and her grip slackens slightly. “Alright sweet talker.”

“Adora, focus here, would ya?”

She jumps and resumes her tender, ore firm posture. “Right, right sorry! Okay, here we go.” 

And then they’re kissing and Catra is totally right, nothing else has ever felt quite like _this_.

A couple weeks later Catra is slouching on the couch, waiting for Adora to come home from her last final of junior year with takeout. She’s fucking hungry, she’s been doing manual labor all day. After _a lot_ of talking, they decided there was no reason to pretend this was anything less than it is. They’ve jumped right into a committed relationship. It’s exactly the same as their old relationship if you just add in all the kissing and sex and subtract out Adora giving Catra shit about her horrible taste in girls with just a little too much heat to her words. 

It also means they have no reason for two beds. So Catra, with the help of Scorpia’s muscle, had spent the day combining their shit into Adora’s room and converting her old room into an office. It looks fucking amazing, even if she does say so herself.

Finally, Adora comes bustling in. “Hi, hi, sorry I’m late. Here, take your noodles.” Catra does so with zero hesitation and waits exactly zero second to tuck in. “I can never get in and out of that place. Razz always comes out to say hi and she’s so _sweet_ I never know how to slip out.”

“Babe, you just gotta say you have to go.”

“Ugh, you don’t get it.” She throws herself dramatically onto the couch next to Catra.

Catra just laughs at her. “No, I suppose I don’t.” She continues eating watching Adora who closes her eyes and relaxes into the couch, practically melting. “Hey, what if we got married?”

No one is more surprised than Catra at the question. Adora comes in as a close second though and she snaps up, staring at Catra wide eyed. “What did you just say?”

“Uhh…”

“Did you just propose to me?”

“Well, I, um…”

“Where’s my ring then?” Oh, thank goddess, teasing Catra can do.

“Wow Princess, didn’t realize you were so materialistic.”

Adora narrows her eyes, “Rude, this is a horrible proposal. You’re not supposed to insult me, I’m pretty sure that’s just basic proposal etiquette.”

“Oh, what have you been studying up then? Sorry Princess, did I steal your thunder?” Adora turns bright red and doesn’t answer. Catra tilts her head and squints at her. “ _Adora…_ ”

“I wasn’t gonna propose!” She insists.

Unconvinced, Catra presses. “Then why are you being weird?”

“I mean…I wasn’t gonna propose _now_.”

“Okay…what am I missing? What aren’t you saying?”

“I mean I thought _maybe_ this summer, like maybe if we went camping or something. I wasn’t sure if you’d think that was too soon, but…apparently not.” She eyes Catra warily.

Catra just keeps staring at her. Then suddenly it hits her, her eyes widen. “You didn’t!”

“I didn’t, I swear!”

“Okay, but you did though, didn’t you?”

“I uh…well I don’t actually know what you’re talking about. But I probably didn’t.”

Catra narrows her eyes. “Go get it.” She demands.

Adora’s eyes are impossibly wide. All false innocence and poor acting she asks, “Get what?”

“You know what, I want to see it.”

“Psh, pfft, I don’t even, I don’t have anything.”

“ _Adora!_ ”

“Okay, well even if I did have what I think that you think that I have, why should I give it to you? I’m not the one who just _proposed marriage_ over takeout.”

“Aw, sorry Princess, not romantic enough for you?”

“Wow, okay, you know what?” She doesn’t elaborate any further before stomping off to their room. After a second, she calls down the hall. “Catra! What did you _do_?” Oh yeah, she’d sort of forgotten….

“Do you like it?” She calls back tentatively.

“I- ugh, just hang on a second.” Catra hears a lot of shuffling around and then Adora remerges. “I love it babe, you did that all today?” Catra shrugs and Adora plops back next to her, leaning over to kiss her cheek. “You’re incredible, oh my gosh we only have one bed now! So gay, so cute!”

Catra smiles fondly, rolling her eyes. “Whatever. We can talk about the stupid office later. Did you get it.”

“Okay,” Adora begins warningly. “remember, just because I’m letting you see it, doesn’t mean you get to _keep_ it.”

Catra is gob smacked. “Like hell it doesn’t! It’s for me isn’t it?”

“Eventually, but as you’ll recall I have not proposed.”

“For fuck’s-lemme see it!”

Adora steels herself with a couple deep breaths, then dips her hand into her pocked and emerges with a ring. It’s gorgeous, just exactly Catra’s style. It looks sort of art deco, a brass band with what looks like a garnet in the center setting with several small black stones around it. “What the hell Adora?” She breaths, tearing her eyes away from the ring to look at Adora’s face. “When did you even get this?”

“Uhh, remember when I went shopping with Glimmer a couple weeks ago? I mean it’s not what we went for but…well it’s fucking perfect, right?” There’s just a hint of uncertainty in her eyes.

Catra looks back at the ring and then to Adora again when a thought occurs to her. “Wait, wait, wait. Are you telling me that _Sparkle_ s knew about this for weeks and I still didn’t find out?”

Adora laughs sharply. “What, you think I’m an amateur? No, I told her I had to go to the bathroom and circled back.”

Catra joins in on her laughter. “Should have known. Alright, well you’re right it’s perfect. So gimme!” Catra reaches out and Adora pulls her hand back.

“Hey, no way! You knew the deal. You get it when I propose.”

“Okay, well then can you get that over with?”

Adora falters, when she speaks it’s slow, hesitant. “Catra…I can’t tell if we’re kidding around or not. Did you mean it?”

Catra gulps and sucks her teeth. “I…I said it without thinking but…you know I wanna marry you. Right? Like, that’s not a secret?”

Adora shakes her head. “Yeah, no. I mean, obviously I know.” She gestures with the ring still pinched between her fingers. “What sort of timeline do you imagine for that?”

“None, I guess. I just…knew it would happen eventually. I figured the time would present itself, I just didn’t imagine it’d be two weeks into dating.”

Adora nods slowly. “Right…so, too soon?”

“I didn’t say that.” Nobody moves, not to so much as breath. “Did…did you have a timeline in mind?”

“I mean…when I talked to Bow about this I said, ‘As soon as I can get a ring on her finger.’. But…I don’t know that I thought it would end up being so literal.”

Catra watches her, lips pursed. “Gimme the ring Adora.”

Adora laughs, it’s halfhearted, but genuine. “Don’t try catch me while I’m distracted. I told you, you don’t get it unt- “

“So, propose.” Catra’s steady stare meets Adora’s. She looks tentatively hopeful, a smile creeping in from the crinkled corners of her eyes. 

“It’s not a very romantic setting though, is it?” She looks around, eyes lingering on the tea, likely lukewarm by now. 

“Hey, Adora.” She turns back to Catra who smiles gently. “You don’t have to but…I’ll say yes. Now, later, doesn’t matter. I’ll say yes.”

Adora clears her throat and nods. “Right, okay.” Then nothing. 

“Uh, Adora?”

Adora blinks like she’s just waking up, adjusting to the light of day. “Yeah?”

“Are you gonna…?”

“Not right now.”

“Oh…. _So,_ does that mean I have to wait for- “

“Eat you’re noodles Catra.”

Two weeks later Catra is still not engaged, but she does have a ring. A simple gold band with a modest moonstone in a more intricate setting. She’s not really sure what her plan is. She knows Adora will flip if she proposes first. Frankly Catra is antagonistic enough that this fact is incentive enough to try and beat her to it. Still though, she has no plan. Scorpia, unsolicited, keeps trying to brainstorm with her.

“Ooh! What if you got her a cereal with a prize, cut it open from the bottom, hid the ring in _there_ , bada bing; you’ve got a proposal.” She takes one hand off the steering wheel to throw in jazz hands, to sell it. Really, it does the opposite. 

“Yeah, do cereals even come with prizes anymore?”

“Hm, you got me there I guess.” Scorpia’s laugh is bright and light hearted. 

“I’m still not even sure I’m gonna propose any time soon.”

“I just don’t understand _why_ you would get a ring then.” She hangs a right into Catra’s apartment complex.

“I told you, I just don’t want her to catch me off guard. I’m gonna propose eventually, but if she beats me to it I wanna have a ring on hand.”

“You two have a very complex bond, I’ll give you that.”

“Nah, it’s not that complicated. I just like to win.”

“Well even if she proposes first you still get your dream girl. You kind of win either way, don’t you?” She says it like she’s trying to convince her. Catra just smirks.

“Exactly.”

“Alright Wildcat, you are incorrigible. Get outta here, go get your girl.”

“Yeah, yeah. Tell Perfuma I say ‘Hi’. Oh, and Adora said to tell you both the same.”

“Will do, Perfuma sends her love to you two.”

Catra climbs out of the car but leans back in before closing the door. “Alright, stay outta trouble.”

“I’ll see what I can do Wildcat. Goodnight!”

“Night Scorp.”

Catra hops up the stairs and lets herself in. She drops her shit by the door and looks up to see Adora sitting on the couch, some cartoon playing quietly. Catra can tell just by her posture that something is up. Adora’s head snaps up when Catra’s keys hit the dish on the end table. She smiles and it’s genuine, but there’s definitely _something_ twinkling in her eye. “Hey you! How was Scorpia?”

“She’s good, she and Fuma send their love. How was your night?” Catra drops into the chair and throws her legs over the arm, leaving her feet just inches from Adora’s face. She narrows her eyes at Adora’s expression; it’s entirely too self-satisfied. 

“Hm, it was…illuminating.”

“Illuminating?”

“Mm hmm.”

“Are you high?”

“I mean a little, I smoked in the bath.”

“Uh-huh, and then what did you do?”

Adora smirks, so she’s definitely on the right track. “Oh, you know…got dressed. The usual.”

“Adora, what did you do?” Her eyes dart down, Adora is just sitting there with her hands under her thighs. In fact, her hands have been hidden since Catra walked in the door. _She didn’t…._ ”Adora…”

“ _What?_ ”

“Well I think you were in the middle of telling me about your night.”

“Oh, of course, yes, my night. So, I got dressed.” Then slyly she adds. “I hope you don’t mind; I borrowed a pair of your…boxers.” At Catra’s expression Adora cackles.

“Adora Grey, you let me see your hand right now.” Adora goes to lift a hand but Catra cuts her off. “You _know_ which hand I wanna see, don’t fuck with me Princess.” And there it is, Catra’s ring on Adora’s finger. She’d suspected at the end there, but she’s still shocked at the gall. “ _You little shit_. That’s mine, I can’t believe you stole from me.”

“Funny, because it fits me perfectly.” Adora holds her hand out, showily admiring the ring. Catra has to admit it looks really fucking good. 

“Alright, yes, you’re very funny. Now give it back.” Adora’s face pales but her bravado doesn’t slip.

“Hm, I don’t think I will. I rather like being an engaged woman.”

“Yeah, well you aren’t one seeing as I haven’t asked you anything. Seriously Adora, don’t be an asshole about this, give it back.” And there the veneer cracks. Adora gulps, what the fuck has she done?

“N-no, it’s mine now. Sorry, you’re st- “She chokes, stumbling over the word. “um, stuck with me now.”

Catra’s eyes widen and she looks back down at the ring. “Adora… _can_ you give it back?”

Adora goes impossibly paler. “Uh…duh. I mean, can but won’t. So…you might as well ask me.”

“Hm, not very romantic is it? I mean, how will I even know if you really _want_ to say yes?” Catra can barely contain her mirth but Adora is too panicked to notice.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just that if my ring is stuck on your finger, don’t you kind of have to say yes if I ask you to marry me?” Every bit of color that had drained from Adora’s face and then some rushes into her cheeks. Catra cackles. “Holy shit, this is priceless! What, you found it, tried it on, and couldn’t get it off so you tried to pass it off as a joke?”

Adora grumbles, “Basically.”

Catra watches her for a second. “Alright, give it here.”

“Catra, I just said- “

“The whole hand, dummy.”

“Oh, right.” Adora lets Catra take her left hand and watches wide eyed when she slides her ring finger into her mouth. Honestly, Catra figures she much have gotten all hot and stressed and made her fingers swell earlier or something, because it’s not that hard to pop off. Adora’s hand is shaking as she pulls it back, watching Catra spit the ring into her fingers.

“You’re unbelievable.”

“Thanks.” Catra can tell Adora’s going for cocky, but her voice is too breathy to pull it off. 

“You got it Princess, now don’t go snooping through my shit again, capeesh?”

Adora pouts, “You’re no fun.”

They spend the rest of the night having _plenty_ of fun. 

“You two are ridiculous.” Glimmer accuses over dinner a few nights later.

“Aw, I think it’s sweet.” Bow interjects, pouring more wine into everyone’s glasses.

“Thanks Bow, and Glimmer, how about you mind your own business?” Adora requests.

“ _Excuse me_ , but I seem to recall that it was Catra who was bursting at the seams to tell us about you getting your future engagement ring stuck on your finger.”

“Well yeah, cause it was fucking hilarious. It wasn’t even hard to get off.” Catra snickers, still just as amused as she was when it initially happened. 

“I _told you_ , it must have been because I was hot from the shower! It was really stuck, I tried for like, hours to get that thing off.”

“Yeah, well it took me like two seconds, so.” Adora just sticks her tongue out at Catra and their friends shake their heads in response. 

“So…” Bow starts. “Are you two ever gonna like…actually get engaged?” At their expression he defends, “What? You’ve already both seen your rings, it’s not a wild question.”

“Well of course I’m gonna propose at some point.” Adora asserts.

“Uh, not if I propose first Princess.”

Adora scoffs. “Yeah, we’ll just see about that. I got my ring first, so I get to propose.”

“Yeah right, I’m the one who brought it up first. That means _I_ get to propose.

“Technically you already _did_ propose, so now it’s my turn.”

“Uh, if you don’t actually answer that means I get a do over.”

“ _Do over?_ That is so not how it works.”

“Is so! Who said you get to make- “

“ _Enough!_ ” Glimmer cuts them off. “Goddess above, only the two of you would manage to turn _proposing_ into some sort of bitter rivalry.”

“It’s not bitter.” Adora shrugs, not bothering to negate the rest of the sentiment.

“Yeah, Adora’s just a sore loser.”

“Hey! I am not- “

“ _Okay_ ,” Bow interjects. “anyone need another roll?”

Adora eats four more rolls before they leave Bow and Glimmer’s at the end of the night. 

It’s the hottest day of the year so far, and Catra is in the perfect setting for it. Glimmer had let her and Adora use her family’s lake house for a long weekend getaway and it’s been perfect. They’re currently laid out on a blanket by the water, a soft breeze keeping the temperature bearable. Catra’s just been laying out, sunning, and Adora brought along a book she’s reading to prepare for one of her classes that starts next month. Catra sits up for a drink of water and catches Adora watching her. 

“What?” Adora starts, like she’s been jolted out of a trance. 

“Huh?”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Adora smiles, it’s all softness and sunshine and love. “Like what?”

“Like…I don’t know. Like you’re looking at me.”

Adora hums, not responding immediately. “You know I’ve loved you for so long. For what feels like my whole life.”

Catra’s expression softens, and her heart warms. “I loved you my whole life too, ya big dummy.”

Adora smiles gently, she reaches over and clings tightly to Catra’s hand. “I-being with you, like this, it’s…I’m so happy. And I-I couldn’t possibly feel any more committed to you than I do now, married or not. But I _want_ to marry you Catra. I want to put that ring on your finger and I want to throw a big party so we can celebrate just how much I love you with all of our friends.”

“ _Adora..._ ” 

“Marry me Catra, _please _, say you’ll marry me?”__

__“Of course I will, you big goof.” Adora pounces on her, kissing her with twenty years of love and passion. They’re both gasping for air when they break apart. “So, this mean I finally get to wear my ring?”_ _

__Adora blanches, face suddenly blank. “ _Fuck!_ ” She looks at Catra with wide eyes. “I didn’t bring it.”_ _

__Catra laughs incredulously. “What?”_ _

__“I-I didn’t think I need it, shit! I had a whole plan for when we got home.” She bemoans. “I made a reservation at that place I took you for your eighteenth birthday. We were gonna have dinner and then I was gonna ask you to walk down by the water and…” She groans. “And the point is I don’t have it.”_ _

__Catra laughs again. “You’re an idiot. Alright, well first of all don’t you dare cancel that reservation. Second, just…hang on. Wait here.” She scampers off to the house. She may not have had a whole plan, but they were going away for a romantic weekend, she figured an opportunity might present itself. She runs back out a minute later, ring in hand. Adora looks at her with wide eyes._ _

__“You brought yours? No fair!”_ _

__“What, you don’t want it?”_ _

__“I never said that! Hand it over.” Catra laughs and ignores her outstretched hand, yanking her left hand closer. She slides the ring on and…it looks perfect. She looks up to see Adora admiring it too._ _

__“It’s even more perfect than I remember. Thank you, babe.”_ _

__“C’mere.” Catra pulls her in for another kiss. “Hey Adora?” She whispers, pitching her voice low._ _

__Adora’s breathing get a little shallower. She whispers back, “Yeah?”_ _

__“Last one in the lake has to tell our friends!” And with that she hops up and sprints toward the water._ _

__It takes Adora a second to register what’s happening but then she’s right behind her. “Hey! Get back here! That’s no fair, you know they’re all gonna get so emotional.”_ _

__Catra just laughs as she dives into the cool water. It’s true their friends _are_ going to be so emotional. Then again, so is Catra._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dunno man, I was like 'maybe a roommate fic?' and now they're engaged.  
> Considering writing the wedding if I'm looking for another taste breaker while I work on You Make Me See Stars, but no concrete plans. So, for now this remains a one and done!
> 
> Thanks for reading!!


	2. Chapter 2

“Okay but hear me out; we _just_ do the cake tasting.”

Adora laughs at her, incredulous. “Like _only_ the cake tasting?” Catra shrugs as if to say, _why not?_ “ _Catra_.”

“What? We already know the cake is gonna be the best part.”

“Ouch.” Adora laughs again shortly, but there’s a little bit of genuine hurt mixed in with the mirth.

Catra just rolls her eyes. “Of the wedding Adora, not of marrying you.”

“I don’t really see a difference.”

“Okay, well I don’t know how else to explain it to you.” Adora huffs and pushes off the counter, going around to the sink on the other side to rinse her plate. Catra pokes at her yogurt and scowls.

Adora puts her plate in the dishwasher with just a little too much force. She shuts off the water but leaves her hand on the handle. After a minute she drops it with a sigh and looks up to Catra. “Can we talk about this later? I just need to know if Saturday afternoon works for you.”

“Yeah, whatever. I’ll be there. You said two?”

“Uh-huh, I…I thought we could get brunch together. It’s right by that place we like over in Thaymor.” She turns her face away again, busying herself with wiping down the counters.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay, yeah, sounds good.”

“You’re off tonight, right?”

“Yeah, Scorp, Trapta and I are doing ladies night though. But, I mean it’s Trapta so I’ll probably be home by eight or so.”

“Cool, I’ll probably hang back at the library and get some research done for my paper.”

“Right, cool….” She’s quiet, watching Adora for a minute, then, “Hey.”

Adora looks up to Catra again. “Hey.”

“I love you dummy.”

Adora rolls her eyes but her smile is genuine. “Yeah, I love you too, brat.” Catra taps her own cheek and Adora dutifully circles the counter to drop a kiss there. “I should get ready.”

“Yeah, yeah. Get out of here.” Catra follows her into the bedroom despite her words. Adora ends up nearly being late to class. It’s totally worth it.

It’s after five and Adora feels like her brain is going to explode. She thinks if she has to spend five more minutes looking at a screen, she might lose her cool in the middle of the computer lab. So, she lets Bow and Glimmer distract her when they show up unannounced. However, when Glimmer casually asks, “So how is wedding planning going?”, she kind of wishes she was reading dry scientific journals again. 

“Oh, that’s not a good face.” Bow comments, sticking his finger in her face like they might not know who he’s talking about. She might be grumpy. Well…not grumpy. Frustrated. 

“It’s fine, it’s nothing.”

“Doesn’t _seem_ like nothing.” Glimmer presses.

“Whatever, it’s not a big deal. Catra’s just being…difficult.”

“ _Still?_ ” Adora winces.

“I mean, I never expected her to be like, super bride or anything.”

“Well, yeah Adora, no shit. But is she at least helping you plan this thing?”

“Uh, kind of?”

“What does that mean exactly?” Bow asks, much more collected than Glimmer. 

“Well…like, I can get a multiple choice answer out of her but no short essays.”

“Okay, you’re clearly studying way too much if that’s the analogy you’re going with.” Glimmer snarks, Adora just brushes her off. 

“Have you talked to her about how it makes you feel that she’s not invested in this?”

“Well I…no not exactly. We almost got into it this morning, but I had class so…. We implied we’d talk about it later.” Adora bites her lip and fights the urge to look anywhere but at her friends.

“Can you tell us why you’re so nervous to talk to your fiancé?” Adora tries to find an accusation in Bow’s tone, but it just isn’t there.

She fights the words as they bubble up but finally blurts, “What if she realized she doesn’t want to marry me?”

Both of her friends look aghast. Glimmer chokes out an indignant, “ _What?_ ” 

And Bow asks her, “Adora, why would you think that? Catra _loves_ you!”

“I-I know she does! It’s not that- I don’t think she doesn’t _love_ me. But every time I bring up the wedding it’s like pulling teeth. She’s kind of alluded to it being about the wedding part rather than the being married part but…”

“But?”

“But she also won’t talk to me about it!” Her outburst garners the disapproving gaze of several other students and she blushes, looking down. “Sorry, I just…I feel like I’m gonna scare her off or something, I guess.”

Glimmer sets a hand on her knee and waits until she makes eye contact to speak. “Adora, sweetie, Catra is madly in love with you. You’re not gonna scare her off by talking about your feelings. You both suck at it but you’ve proven that you are capable of good communication.”

“Wow, I’m not sure if I’m encouraged or insulted.”

“Eh, I’ll take a little of both. Now, you’re clearly fried. Why don’t Bow and I take you to the diner before you head home to study some more?”

Adora rolls her eyes but laughs. “Yeah, sounds good. Um, thanks you guys. For talking to me about…stuff, whatever.”

“Hey, what else is the best friend squad for?” Bow assures her, throwing an arm over her and Glimmers shoulders as the walk out of the library. 

Adora doesn’t bring it up. Neither does Catra. All week they dance around the lingering awkwardness. It’s never overwhelming but always present, simmering under the surface. Adora excuses her inaction by going over all the classwork she has to finish that week, meetings with her advisors about looking into vet school she has to attend. There’s a lot going on this week. Maybe at brunch on Saturday, she tells herself. 

But brunch goes so well, and they’re doing wedding stuff _after_. So surely it will come up more naturally then, _right?_ Adora knows better than to put this conversation off, and it comes back to bite her in the ass at the cake tasting. The sweet employee is so patient, and luckily Catra is thrilled about the subject matter but she’s still extra snarky.

“So, do you ladies have a date picked out?” Spinerella, the baker, asks midway through.

“Uh…” Adora stalls. “Well we were thinking maybe this summer.”

“But summer is so _hot_.” Catra complains. 

Adora smiles nervously, refusing to look over at Catra. “Ahem, so maybe fall instead.”

“But of course, a fall wedding in Etheria means rainy season. So there goes an outdoor venue.”

“Right, so uh…still deciding. Weighing pros and cons and all that.” Adora smiles tightly and Spinerella smiles back kindly.

“I see, well for what it’s worth; my wife and I went with something in the middle, the beginning of September, and it was _beautiful_ weather. It’s always a gamble though, of course. Why don’t I freshen our water and I’ll see if I can track down some of that passionfruit cremeaux I was telling you about?”

“Thanks so much, that sounds great.” She bustles away and Adora turns to Catra with a sharp look. “ _What_ is your problem?” She snaps under her breath.

Catra scoffs. “I don’t _have_ a problem.”

“I thought you were looking forward to this part!” Adora admonishes, throwing her hands up.

“Whatever, it’s fine. The cake’s good.”

Adora snorts. “Yeah, you’re clearly thrilled to be here.”

“Stars Adora, what is up your ass? Seriously, just lay off.”

“Lay off?” Adora laughs, no trace of humor in the sound. “ _Lay off?_ Fuck, could you be any more of a bitch right now?”

Catra’s eyes widen then narrow in a blink of an eye. “ _Excuse me?_ Sorry I’m not miss Barbie dream wedding okay? But that’s not really what I signed up for.”

“Barbie dream…are you fucking kidding me?” Adora blinks away the tears of frustration she can feel gathering in the corner of her eyes. “You know what, no. Fuck this, this is the only part of our wedding you give a shit about?” Catra’s eyes widen again as Adora thunders out of her seat, throwing her bag over her shoulder. “ _Fine_ , you take this one and I’ll figure the rest of it out on my own. Please give Spinerella my apologies and let her know I had something unexpected come up.”

“Wait, what?” Adora turns away and ignores Catra’s harsh whisper of, “ _Adora, what the hell are you doing?_ ”

She storms out to her car and freezes, grasping the handle. She can’t just _leave_ ; they drove here together. She’s pissed at Catra but not enough to just abandon her without a ride home. She huffs and gets into the car anyway. She turns the radio on, but every song grates her nerves, so she soon opts to turn it back off. She watches a couple pigeons going after a littered bag of chips. After half an hour or so of this a stony face Catra turns the corner, relaxing minutely when she sees the car still in its space. 

She drops into the car and faces the windshield, mirroring Adora’s posture. They sit in silence for a little while, Adora watches as the pigeons come back after Catra had spooked them away.

“What the fuck was that?” Catra finally asks. Adora scoffs at her. “What the fuck Adora? Why are you acting like…like…”

“Like what?” Adora finally turns to her. “Like a petulant brat who won’t say what she fucking wants, or feels or- “

“Yeah, about like that.” Catra turns in her seat also.

“You’re being an asshole Catra!”

“Look…I know we’re fighting but can you not yell at me?” Catra scowls, looking away from her to study the dash.

“Fine, yeah. I mean…yes, you’re right and I’m sorry for yelling. I don’t think any of this has been very…healthy?”

A scoff and, “Ya think?”

“Okay, did that feel productive?”

“I’m gonna refrain from telling you that you sound like a poor imitation of my therapist.”

“I don’t think it counts as refraining if you still say it, first of all. Also, you don’t have a therapist.”

“Uh…”

Adora’s eyebrows shoot up. “Excuse me?”

“We only had a couple sessions…so far.”

Adora fights to keep the wounded feeling out of her voice. “And you weren’t gonna tell me? Catra…” Her voice break on the name. “I-why won’t you talk to me?”

Catra shifts in her seat to face forward again. “I just had a couple things I wanted to work through. Scorp said she was in over her head with the advice stuff, so she gave me this lady’s card.”

“What stuff?”

“I…nothing, it doesn’t matter.”

“Catra, you’ve refused to see a therapist for _years_ and now suddenly you’re having secret sessions. _Clearly_ it matters.” She rubs at her eyes and ignores the wetness she finds there. Catra doesn’t say anything and after a minute Adora decides the ask the question she really wants to. “Catra…do you not want to get married?”

Her fiancé whips around in her seat to stare at her wide eyed, mouth agape. “ _What?_ Where the hell did you get that from?”

Adora throws her hands up and now it’s her turn to twist in her seat and stare out the windshield. “Gee, I don’t know. Every time I try to bring up making plans for the wedding you clam up and get snitty with me. You’ve made multiple comments about how miserable you are at the idea of _going_ to our wedding. And you won’t talk to me about any of it. What am I supposed to think?”

“Oh.” Adora laughs humorlessly. “Adora, I…can we walk or something. Or there’s a park near here. I feel weird talking about this here.”

Adora considers her for a moment then nods. They climb out and walk in relative silence, Adora following Catra until they reach a small neighborhood park. Adora sits at a picnic table and Catra sits on the table, her feet on the bench seat next to Adora. “So?”

“Fuck Adora I-I’m really sorry I made you think that…that I didn’t- It’s not that _at all._ ” She grabs Adora’s hand and looks her in the eye. “Adora I am _so excited_ to be married to you. And I really, I thought I was going to be more excited about the wedding part but…I’m not. That’s why I’m talking to that therapist.”

“Okay…can you tell me what’s going on?”

Catra sighs and squeezes her hands once before letting them drop and crossing her arms. Adora leaves one hand in her lap and brings the other one up to grip Catra’s knee, soothing it with her thumb. “I just…I started to feel like…like you’re gonna have a family there, and I’m not.”

It’s the last thing Adora could have expected her to say. “ _What?_ ”

“It’s not-I know it’s not totally rational, okay? I’m working on it but…I just fell into some old insecurities.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean…besides Scorp and Trap, well and _you_ , no one has ever stuck around for _me_. All our friends, the Brightmoons, Mara and Hope…they stick around for you and I’m just part of the package. Or, well sometimes I worry that’s how they feel.”

Adora watches her fiancé’s gaze drop to her knees and feels her heat break. “ _Catra_ , baby…I didn’t realize…”

“I didn’t _want_ you to. It’s why I didn’t tell you about the doc and…you’re right; I’ve been a bitch about it and I’m _sorry_. I-I knew it was something I needed to work through. I just felt-well, _feel_ really embarrassed so I didn’t talk about it and it’s made me really…touchy.”

“I…honestly don’t know where to start.” Catra sighs and rests her chin in her hand, elbow propped on her knee. 

“Yeah.”

“When did…when did you start feeling this way? After the proposal you seemed…”

“Excited. Yeah, I was. I don’t know, I think it was that day Glimmer came over. She started talking about venues and guest lists and…I just felt so overwhelmed. Then you went to class and I…. I just fell into a funk and couldn’t get out of it. Sometimes… I feel weird about the fact that almost everyone I love I know through you, y’know?”

“I mean, yeah. It’s come up before. I guess I just thought…you’d worked through it, I guess. I didn’t realize it still bothers you.”

Catra heaves another great sigh. “Yeah, me too. I guess…I never really thought about having a wedding before this. I mean I thought about being married…” She cuts her gaze to Adora for a second then looks away, blushing. “to you. But that was when we were younger and then I started compartmentalizing that so…”

“Being an orphan is weird.” She says it so plainly Catra barks out a laugh and looks at her incredulously.

“Yeah...yeah, it is. I mean, I love our weird little family, don’t get me wrong but…”

“A lot of wedding traditions are steeped in traditional family values. And we don’t have a traditional family.” Catra nods slowly, looking relieved at Adora’s innate understanding of what she’s trying to say. “Why do you feel like…like it’s different for me? Or I mean, is that what you’re feeling?”

“It’s…it’s not that it’s _different_ necessarily. It’s just…” Adora scoots closer when she registers the tears gathering in the corner of Catra’s eyes. “I-if we got a divorce, which like I’m sure we won’t, but if we _did_ yo-you’d get _everyone_ , and I’ll be all alone and I-I don’t- “

The rest of her words are lost to her tears. Adora stands awkwardly so she can wrap her arms around her, holding tight. She rocks them side to side until Catra’s breathing evens out and she can pull back enough to look at her. “Catra…you’re not gonna be alone baby.” She chances a small smile. “That’s kind of the whole point of this, yeah?”

Catra indulges in a watery chuckle and nods. “Yeah.”

“And our family _loves_ you. They’re not gonna ditch you for me if you decide to leave my ass.”

Catra scoffs, but it’s playful this time. “As if.”

“Well that’s the only way I see this breaking apart, I’m certainly not going anywhere.” Then more seriously she adds, “But even still, you’re loved Catra, separate from me.”

Catra pulls her back in, holding her close. “Okay…. Thank you, and I’m sorry. For not talking to you, and for taking it out on you. I know that wasn’t cool.”

“Thanks for saying that. It was really frustrating, but I understand and I forgive you. And I’m proud of you for talking to somebody.”

“Yeah…” She feels Catra nuzzle further into her chest. 

“So…if we’re not a traditional family…maybe we don’t try for a traditional wedding.”

Catra pulls back to look at her. “What does that mean?”

“I’m not sure, but I think we have a lot to talk about.”

Catra smiles and nods. “Okay, but…well I already ordered the cake and put the down payment on it. We just have to let them know when we set a date.”

Adora laughs. “Of course you did. What did you get?”

Catra smirks. “You’ll see.”

“You brat.” Catra protests and runs away when Adora goes to muss her hair. They chase each other around the park for a while until they’re both huffing and puffing for air.

“Are you nervous?” Adora catches Glimmer’s eye in the mirror and smiles serenely.

“Not even a little bit.” 

“I’m gonna cry!” Bow announces, showing up in the frame of the mirror as he wraps his arms around them. Sure enough, tears race down his cheeks. 

“Bow! You’re gonna wrinkle the dress, chill. Alright, that’s it! Adora, you better get out of that thing. I don’t think Bow can handle it. I’ll go put cookies in the oven.”

“Why would you do that?” Adora shrugs Bow off to turn and face Glimmer with a dubious look on her face.

Glimmer just rolls her eyes. “Adora, you can’t eat raw cookie dough the night before your wedding. You really want to wake up with food poisoning tomorrow?”

“Has anyone ever _actually_ gotten sick from cookie dough?”

“Please, with your luck you’d be the first. And, I’m sure someone has at some point. Otherwise they wouldn’t put the warning on the label.”

“Fine, fine, ruin it if you insist.” Glimmer huffs and flounces dramatically out of the room. Bow traipses to the bed and dutifully shields his eyes as Adora trades her wedding dress for jammies. 

“So, if not nervous, how _are_ you feeling about tomorrow?”

“Honestly? I just feel…at peace, ready.”

“ _Aww!_ That is so _cute_! I can’t believe it, Catradora finally getting their happily ever after.”

“Catradora Bow? Really?”

Bow shrugs. “Catra’s the one who came up with it.”

“ _What?_ Okay, that does not sound like my wife.”

“Aw, wife! And well…it wasn’t your wife _sober._ ” He snickers. 

“Ah…drunk Catra, what a catch. Truly.”

Bow squeals. “I can’t believe you’re getting married! First members of the best friend squad to tie the knot!”

“Yeah…when are you and Glim gonna go for it?”

Bow flushes lightly. “Oh…well I mean, we just graduated, and Glimmer is talking about law school so she’s gonna be so busy. I’m not sure, we’ll get there.”

Adora eyes him warily for a moment. “Twenty bucks says she asks you within the next year.”

“What?” Bow’s voice squeaks and breaks on the word.

“Come on Bow, if you’re dragging your feet…well Glimmer’s not the type to wait around.”

“That’s true…” He scrunches up his face, clearly thinking hard about this.

“I should put my hair up tomorrow, right?” She asks, gifting him a change in subject. It works and she shakes his head.

“You could but your hair _is_ kinda always up. Nice to do something different for a special occasion.” She turns to face herself in the mirror, running her hand over her immaculate ponytail. She pulls it out and shakes her hair free, frowning at her reflection. “I don’t know…”

Bow comes to stand just behind her. “I could French braid it if you want. Still up but something a little fancier.”

“Yeah.” She smiles. “That feels right, thanks Bow.”

“Sure thing. So, what movie do you wanna watch while we do nails and gab?”

They put on Princess Bride when Glimmer joins them and have more junk food and prosecco than is strictly wise. It’s a perfect last night as an unmarried woman.

“I don’t think I can do this.”

Adora’s heart stops. “Not funny Catra.”

“What?” A brief pause and then she rushes to clarify. “No! Not-Adora don’t be an idiot. Not _this_ , this. Stars. I’m talking about logistically babe. We’re just running really late, Scorpia’s taking forever helping me get ready. Then there’s that shit in my car that we were supposed to drop off on the way. Plus, there was that delay with the cake and it’s so close, but they close before we’re gonna be over that way again, so I was just gonna stop while I was over there. So, by the time- “

“Catra, babe! It’s okay. Holy fuck you scared me.”

“Sorry, I see how that sounded. I’m just…overwhelmed.”

“Hey, it’s okay. Stress free day, right? Anything that doesn’t happen, doesn’t happen. Anything that does, does. At the end of the day…”

“We’re still gonna be married. Right, right, I remember.”

“Okay, so we just need someone to run over to Thaymor, yeah?”

“Well yeah, but I still have all the stuff.”

“That’s fine, how much longer do you need?”

“Um…” There’s some muffled conversation on the other end of the line and then Catra’s back. “Fuck, I don’t know, like an hour maybe?”

“Okay, how far does that set you back?”

Catra scoffs. “Like an hour and twenty minutes.”

“Right, here’s what we’re gonna do. You, chill out, maybe do one of those meditations your therapist gave you. Take half an hour and then finish. I’m gonna call Mermista and Seahawk. I’m sure one of them can swing by and they’re so close to the restaurant they can pick the other one up after they run errands if they need to. And we just push the timeline back like an hour or so. “

“Are you sure? I mean, maybe I can- “

“I love you; I want you to enjoy our wedding day. Go, relax. I’ll see you at the beach, okay?”

“Y-yeah, okay. The beach, I love you too. And…thank you.”

“You bet. I should go, Glimmer is glaring at me.”

Catra laughs, sounding infinitely calmer than when Adora picked up the phone. “Tell Sparkles to shove it, it’s our wedding day. Pretty sure that means I get as much of your attention as I want.”

“Oh, does it now?”

“Hmm, and I’ll be cashing in on that plenty…tonight.” Adora’s stomach flips and she can feel her cheeks heat up.

“Sounds hot.”

“Oh, it is.”

“What- “

“Adora! For fuck’s sake, you’re gonna be married in a few hours. You have a lifetime to flirt. You’re on _my time_ now.” Glimmer shouts in the background. Adora rolls her eyes with a wry chuckle.

“Alright, I really gotta go.”

“Yeah, yeah. Love you babe.”

“Love you.” And with the click that kills the line Adora turns to face the music.

Entrapta plays soft classical music on the tiny but powerful speaker that emerges from her pocket. Once it’s going, she begins to fuss with the settings on her camera, getting ready to capture the ceremony. Glimmer holds an already teary Bow and Scorpia hides her own watery eyes behind her hands. Angella stands before them all, smiling indulgently and doing nothing to hide just how glossy her own eyes have gotten. They wait together on the wide, flat rock they had chosen that juts out to the edge of the shore.

Around the corner, in a small, rocky alcove, Catra and Adora hold each other. Catra’s hands rest on Adora’s low back and Adora cradles her face. She grazes every familiar freckle, every well mapped scar, with her finger tips. 

“I love you.” Someone whispers. Doesn’t matter who, they’re both thinking it so hard the sentiment fills the air around them. Catra pulls Adora closer, into a tight hug.

After standing like that for a few more minutes Adora whispers into her hair. “You ready to do this?”

“Beyond ready.” One more squeeze and they pull apart, wasting no time in joining their hands together. All wide smiles and elation they walk out toward their officiant and witnesses. “Gods Adora, that dress…”

Adora smiles, looking down at herself. It’s flowy and white, bustled up in the back to keep the length from dragging in the wet sand. “Yeah? You don’t look too bad yourself there hot stuff.” She eyes Catra in her light linen suit, lavender bowtie left undone and top button loose. Yeah, not bad at all…

“There they are!” Glimmer calls as they approach. “I was starting to wonder if you two were off getting busy in a cave.”

“Glimmer, this is a wedding. Do not be crass.” Angella scolds her.

“Yeah Sparkles, don’t be crass at my wedding.” Angella just smiles and shakes her head at Catra.

“Shall we begin?” The brides nod eagerly and it brings a fresh wave of tears over Bow and Scorpia. Entrapta pats Scorpia’s shoulder awkwardly and Glimmer just elbows Bow’s side. “Right, the four of you have been asked here today to bear witness to the union of Catra and Adora. I have been asked to skip over leaving opportunity for objections as, ah- the brides to do not care to hear them if they exist.” Catra had phrased it much more bluntly than that, but the sentiment was the same. 

“It is so very like our brides. Persistent and unyielding when they believe in their goal. It is why I have every confidence this marriage will not only last but thrive. The love the two of you share is quite plain to see, and I think I can speak for everyone who loves you when I say how thrilled and terribly relieved we are that you have opened your eyes to it.” The comment invites a round of snickering from the witnesses. “It is a love born to transcend lifetimes, and we are here today to pay tribute to your commitment to the goal of maintaining and growing that love. Please take this opportunity to exchange your vows. Adora, would you like to begin?”

Adora turns to her and nods, her bottom lip already trembling. Catra recaptures her attention with a gentle finger under her chin. “Hey Princess.”

“Hi.” She pauses. “I love you.” The group around her laughs.

“I love you too, dummy.”

“I…I spent a lot of time writing my vows, a lot of time making Bow and Glimmer listen to shitty drafts.” The two of them chuckle at the memories of Adora pacing around their apartment night after night, never satisfied. “And I…all that time and I still don’t know how to put all the love I have for you into words. You’re a part of me Catra, and you have been for as long as I can remember.”

Scorpia reaches over to her with a tissue, and though she smiles in thanks Catra waves it away before she can accept it. Instead she uses her own thumbs to wipe away Adora’s tears with her thumbs, encouraging her to continue with an emotional smile. 

“You’re a part of me and you make me better, you make my life and my world better. I’m so lucky you love me. I vow to spend every day of the rest of my life earning that love and showing you just how much I love you in return.”

“Catra?” Angella prompts.

“Adora Grey, you idiot.” A lough round of laughter interrupts the heavy emotionality of the moment. “You don’t have to _earn_ my love, it just _is_. It always has been. It’s…my loving you has always felt like an irrefutable law of nature; I always have, and I always will. So here are my vows to you; I vow to practice being better at expressing myself to you every day. I vow to be honest with you, even when I’m scared. I vow to lift you up when you’re down, and ask for your support when I am. And I vow to always, _always_ , let you have the last bit of cake, even when I really want it.”

Adora laughs, carefree and joyful, and pulls Catra in for a premature kiss. “Ahem,” Angella clears her throat behind them. “I believe there is one more matter of business to attend to before we get to that part. Do we have rings?” Glimmer and Scorpia produce their rings, removed that morning for the sake of ceremony as neither had any interest in a wedding band. “These rings act as a symbol of your devotion; no beginning and no end. Catra, would you like to go first this time.”

“Yeah, gimme that hand Princess.” Adora laughs and reaches over. They skip the repetition of traditional vows and Catra simply says, “I love you.” As she slips the ring on, leaning down to kiss Adora’s knuckle when she’s through. 

Adora’s hand shakes as she reaches for Catra’s left, practically blubbering as she chokes out, “I love you back.” Then she takes Catra’s hand and presses it to her own cheek, garnering a soft smile.

“I now pronounce you; married! You may- well there you go.” Angella laughs, looking on as Catra dips Adora and presses a searing kiss to her lips. Their friends whoop and holler, cheering them on.

Before pulling her up Catra leans away enough to look Adora in the eye. “Well would you look at that, we just did the damn thing.” Adora just laughs and yanks her in for another kiss.

They trek back to the cars and laugh when they see that tin cans and a ‘Just Married’ banner have been attached to Adora’s truck. They see everyone off and climb in, deciding it’s their day and thus they have every right to make out in the car for twenty minutes before driving to the restaurant to meet the rest of their friends.

They had rented out a room in the back of a swanky restaurant for a small reception. Perfuma had provided flowers which Seahawk had delivered earlier in the day and someone (likely Bow) had contributed glittering confetti to adorn the tables. 

It was a perfect party; they laughed and ate and drank, playing something akin to musical chairs so everyone had time with each other, and with the newlyweds. By the time a server brings out the cake Adora is well past tipsy, and Catra is close behind.

Still, their friends trust them well enough with a knife and they stand to cut the cake. “So,” Adora questions. “You gonna tell me what’s this is?”

“We’re about to eat it dummy, you can’t wait another ten seconds?”

Adora pouts. “I’m married today.”

“And every day after.” Catra reminds her with a snort.

Adora smiles goofily at that and replies with a dreamy, “ _Yeah…_ ”

“Alright, gimme that knife Princess. No way are you gonna be able to wield that thing.” She grabs it from Adora’s hand and does the honors. Adora’s eyes open wide when Catra slides it on a plate.

“No way!” She exclaims loudly. “Did you get is a funfetti wedding cake?”

“Like, a bougie one, yah.”

Adora looks at her in amazement then turns to their friends. “Number one coolest wife, _right here_! I got her, sorry suckers.”

Everyone laughs and Glimmer jeers, “Yeah, cool, good for you. Now are you gonna eat it or…? Cause I want cake.”

Adora sticks out her tongue and then turns back to her wife. “Okay, okay I’m ready.” Catra scoops up a bite and slides into her waiting mouth. “Fuck, is this that passion-y thingy? So good.”

“Yeah babe, it is.”

“Sick, okay, you’re turn.” Catra dutifully closes her eyes and opens her mouth. Adora, too wasted to resist temptation, runs her finger through the icing and smears it down Catra’s nose. She cackles loudly, watching Catra’s eyes pop open in shock.

“Wow, okay. Anyone here know how to get an annulment?”

“Shut up. You can’t annul me; you like me too well.”

“Hmph, we’ll just see about that.” 

“ _Ugh_.” Mermista groans. “I know you too are like, in love or whatever, but I think I’m going hypoglycemic.”

The party continues until it’s time to let the servers clean up and go home. Some folks head out rather quickly but the best friend squad lingers in the parking lot until everyone else is gone. They stand by Adora’s truck, Catra practically holding her bride up as she leans against her side. 

“You leave for the honeymoon tomorrow?” Bow clarifies.

“Uh, yeah. Our flight leaves at two.” Catra reminds him, not for the first time. 

“Aw, you two are gonna have so much fun! Take a ton of pictures for us.”

“Will do Crop Top. Now we really gotta go, before this one falls asleep on her feet.”

“ _Hey._ ” Adora protests. “I do not! Besides, don’t we have to consummate the marriage for it to be legal?”

Catra snorts. “Yeah babe, if you can keep your eyes open for more than a minute when we get home we can consummate.”

“Hmm, good.” Adora sighs, snuggling further into Catra’s neck.

“Yeah, good luck with all of that.” Glimmer teases. “We should get home too. Text us and let us know you get home safe.”

“Will do Glim, thanks for your help today, both of you.”

“Don’t mention it.” Bow assures. 

Hugs are exchanged all around and at long last they depart. Thirty minutes later Catra is depositing Adora onto their bed.

“Mmm, baby I don’t think I can consummate after all.” Adora’s eyes widen comically and she gasps. “Are they gonna divorce us?”

Catra rolls her eyes. “Yeah babe, this isn’t fifteenth century England and we’ve fucked plenty of times before. I think our marriage is safe.”

Adora squints her eyes. “You _think_?”

“Fucking stars babe, I _know_ okay?”

“If you’re sure, I don’t wanna risk not being married to you in the morning.”

“Oh Adora.” Catra moved to stand between her wife’s knees and cradles her face in her hands. “You’re gonna be married to me for the rest of your life.”

“Good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just some niiiiice self indulgent fluff. (That + large doses of emotional intimacy and vulnerability= kinda my whole thing tbh)
> 
> Thanks for Reading!!

**Author's Note:**

> I dunno man, I was like 'maybe a roommate fic?' and now they're engaged.  
> Considering writing the wedding if I'm looking for another taste breaker while I work on You Make Me See Stars, but no concrete plans. So, for now this remains a one and done!
> 
> Thanks for reading!!


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